Former NFL player Utecht captures memories while he can in new book

A former tight end for both the Indianapolis Colts and Cincinnati Bengals, author Ben Utecht has written a book to share his experiences playing football, including memories of high school games, Big 10 college games for the University of Minnesota, participating in the NFL draft, and facing down Brian Urlacher of the Chicago Bears (an NFL player from Lovington, NM) during the Colts’ winning match at Super Bowl XLI in 2007.

The benefits and privileges attached to his elite level of athleticism are many, but the memories he shares have come at a high personal cost. Memories are precious to Utecht; having sustained five major concussions (among other injuries), his brain’s ability to retain information is diminishing. The purpose of his inspirational memoir, “Counting the Days While My Mind Slips Away: A Love Letter to My Family,” is to leave a record for his wife, Karyn, and their four daughters.

“A concussion occurs when the brain collides with the skull. If the impact is violent enough, the brain can be bruised, which shows up on a CT scan or an MRI. Doctors refer to that as a traumatic brain injury. In a concussion, no apparent bruising can be seen. That is one reason why a concussion is called a mild traumatic brain injury. And that’s exactly how concussions were regarded during my playing time, as something mild,” writes Utecht. “Unless someone got knocked out cold, we never even thought of these injuries as concussions.” His more severe concussions included symptoms like blacking out, memory loss, slurred speech, and confusion.

Playing through injuries and pain was expected as early as Utecht’s high school games, continued through his college sports, and by the time he was playing alongside Peyton Manning for the Indianapolis Colts under Coach Tony Dungy, painkillers “felt like a normal part of the game. Anti-inflammatories don’t just help hurting joints feel better. They also mask the symptoms and consequences of concussions . . . all of this was just part of professional football culture. None of us thought twice about it.”

When injuries eventually caught up with him and he was unable to play for months, the Bengals cut Utecht and he retired from football; yet, just a few years later, when a potential opportunity arose to play for the Seahawks, he found that, even though he feared the consequences of another brain injury, his desire to play was still there. “There’s something about this game that just gets a hold of you and does not let go. It is violent and dangerous and takes an unbelievable toll on your body, but it is also a beautiful game that I love.”

Fans will savor Utecht’s football anecdotes; he also shares about his faith, family, and his post-NFL career as a singer and motivational speaker. His book is available at Carlsbad Public Library.

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